Starve a Fever
by InfinityStar
Summary: When Goren gets sick, he ends up with a very special nursemaid. Will he survive the day? This is for the folks who fell in love with Maggie Goren.


**A/N: I have had a number of requests to bring Maggie back, so here she is, taking care of her daddy when he stays home sick with a fever. Naturally, Dick Wolf owns the L&O universe, but Maggie is mine :-) Elmo belongs to Sesame Workshop.**

* * *

She felt him shiver in the bed beside her, punctuated by an occasional groan. He must be having another nightmare. Rolling over, she reached toward him to waken him, but when she touched his skin, she recoiled. Sitting up, she rested her hand on his cheek, then his forehead. He was burning up. She got up and left the room, returning a few minutes later with a thermometer, a couple of ibuprofen and a glass of water. Sitting beside him on the edge of the bed, she gently woke him so that she could take his temperature. 102.8. "Geez, Bobby... Here, take these. Come on..." 

With a groan, he pushed himself up onto his elbows and took the medicine, washing it down with the water. Then he dropped back onto the pillow. She climbed back into bed, leaving the glass on the nightstand beside him. He rolled toward her, snuggling against her, and groaned softly. She smoothed his hair back from his hot forehead and lightly kissed his head. "You have to be feeling horrible."

He grunted quietly and tightened his arms around her. She held him until he returned to sleep.

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When the alarm sounded, he reached out and turned it off. He was feeling better; the medicine had temporarily brought down his fever. But when he started to get up, she pulled him back down. "You're not going anywhere, mister. You have that virus the kids had last week."

"But..."

"No 'buts'. You're staying home today."

"I feel okay."

"When the ibuprofen wears off, you won't."

"So I'll take more."

"Fine, but you are not going to work. Everyone in the squad will be out for your blood if you pass it on to them."

"Why aren't you sick?"

"I didn't have Maggie in my face for three days when she was sick."

He groaned. She kissed his forehead. "Fever's coming back," she said softly.

He watched her slide out of bed. She disappeared into the bathroom, returning with a bottle, which she set beside the water glass. "Take two more around seven."

She returned to the bathroom, where she showered quickly and got dressed for work. Back in the bedroom, she moved over to the crib and looked down into it, where the baby was wide awake and babbling happily to himself. "Good morning, Tom," she cooed.

He squealed happily as she picked him up. After changing him, she returned to the bed, where Tom lunged toward his father, who caught him. "Play with him while I get Maggie up."

Normally, she readied the baby while he got Maggie up and dressed. But not today. He made soft noises at his little son to make him laugh. Ten minutes later, Maggie exploded into the room and hopped up onto the bed. "Hi, Daddy!"

He caught her. "Good morning, mouse."

She squeezed his neck, then dropped down into his lap beside her brother. "Hi, Tommy!"

He squealed and bounced, clapping his hands. Eames came into the room, securing her badge, gun and ID tag to her belt. "Okay, you monkeys, let's get going. Grandpa's waiting."

Maggie looked confused. "Daddy's not coming?"

"No, honey, Daddy's sick today."

"I wanna stay with Daddy."

"Daddy needs to rest, Maggie."

She got her stubborn look and Eames groaned, looking to him for help. He kissed the side of her curly head. "Go on with Mommy and we'll play later."

"But I wanna take care-a you."

"That's sweet, but I can take care of myself, baby."

"But you're sick! You took care-a me when I was sick."

Eames sighed. "Come on, Maggie. I don't want to be late."

Goren waved a hand at her. "Take the baby and go, Alex. If she gets to be too much, I'll take her over to your dad's."

Shaking her head, she took the baby from his lap and whispered, "I don't have time to argue, but you really need to stop caving to her, Bobby."

"The women in my life are my biggest weakness. I always cave."

She laughed and kissed him. "She's four-years-old and she walks all over you."

"She was doing that when she was four _months_ old."

"Well, when she's fourteen, you can deal with her." She leaned over and kissed Maggie. "Be good for Daddy."

"I'll take care-a him!"

As she left the room, she muttered, "That's what I'm afraid of."

Goren set Maggie on the floor. "Go wait for me and I'll get your breakfast. I'll be right out."

"Ok, Daddy!"

She charged out of the room and he got dressed. He found her in the kitchen, waiting in front of the refrigerator. "What do you want for breakfast?"

"Waffles."

He'd been hoping for cereal, but he opened the freezer and pulled out a box of waffles. "Ok, go play while I do this."

"I can do it."

"No, you can't. You can go play."

"But I tol' Mommy I'd take care-a you."

"You can take care of me _after_ we eat."

She gave it some thought and finally sighed. "Ok, Daddy."

_Just like her mother_, he mused as she ran off to the living room. He leaned back against the sink for a minute, questioning his decision to keep Maggie at home with him. Ah, well...he was committed...hopefully, by the end of the day, he wouldn't need to _be_ committed.

By the time he brought her breakfast to the table and set her in her booster seat to eat, he was feeling badly again. His head was throbbing and he could tell the fever was back. He looked at the time. 8:15. He should have taken that ibuprofen over an hour ago. He kissed Maggie's head. "Let me know when you're done."

"Ok, Daddy."

He pulled the pill bottle from his pocket, swallowed down two of the rust-colored tablets with a swallow of coffee and sat down on the couch. He propped his elbow on the arm of the couch and rested his head against it, hoping the throbbing in his head would stop and the room would quit spinning.

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"Daddy!"

She shoved his elbow, which slipped off the arm of the couch. He woke when his head hit the couch. "What the h---hi, Maggie."

That was close. The last time he slipped and swore in front of her, it took him weeks to get her to stop saying it--not to mention how pissed Alex had been. "How'd you get down from the table?"

"I falled."

"What? Are you all right?"

He jumped up and went to the table. Sure enough, the chair she'd been sitting in was resting on its back and her booster seat was on its side next to it. He looked at her. "Did you get hurt?"

"No. I rolled."

"Geez..." This kid was such a daredevil...fearless, also like her mother. "Why didn't you call me?"

"I did. You din' answer me."

He picked her up and kissed her. "I'm sorry, mouse." He carried her into the living room and sat on the couch with her in his lap. "Do you want to watch TV or play?"

"You can play with me!"

He groaned. His vote had been for TV. She slid from his lap and ran to her toybox. Sifting through it, she finally pulled out her favorite ball, which she threw to him. Fortunately, he knew her well and, even though he was sick, his reflexes were good. He caught the ball. "Oh, no...not in the house. Remember what happened the last time we played ball in the house?"

"You broke a pitcher."

"No, _we_ broke the picture. And what did Mommy say?"

"No ball inna house."

"And what do I always tell you about Mommy?"

"Mommy's da boss."

"Right. Pick another toy."

She sighed heavily. "Ok, Daddy."

"That's right...just humor me, like your mother does."

She went back to the toybox. He set the ball beside him on the couch and softly groaned. He couldn't remember feeling this bad in a long time. He leaned his throbbing head back against the couch--just for a minute...

He bolted awake to a crash and a quiet "Oops." His fever was back and he felt even worse. He looked across the room, where Maggie was standing in the middle of a pile of DVDs. "What are you doing?"

"I was lookin' for Elmo."

"Why didn't you ask me?"

"You were sleepin'."

"Maggie..." The phone rang. He got up and answered it. "Hello?"

"What the hell is going on?" Eames demanded.

Was she psychic? That would sure explain a lot... "What do you mean?"

"I just called and Maggie answered. She said you were sleeping and hung up."

He looked at his daughter. "Did you hang up on Mommy?"

"No. I hanged up the phone."

"Sorry, Alex."

"Is she okay?"

"She's fine."

"You sound like crap."

"I feel even worse."

"Do you want me to come and get her?"

"No. We're fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"When was your last dose of ibuprofen?"

"Around eight."

"It's 11:30--another half hour."

Maggie had extricated herself from among the DVDs and ran over to him. "Can I talk?"

"Put her on."

Maggie took the phone. "Hi, Mommy!"

"Hi, angel."

"I takin' care-a Daddy!"

"That's a good girl."

"And we din' play ball inna house."

"Very good. Did you have lunch?"

"No, but I had waffles for brefkiss."

"Very good. I'll see you when I get home, Maggie."

"Ok, Mommy. Here, Daddy."

"Thanks. Now go pick up those movies."

"Ok."

He put the phone to his ear. "You still there?"

"Yes. What movies?"

"It's nothing. She just knocked over some DVDs."

"Bobby..."

"We're fine. Really."

"Would you let me send Mike over?"

"Do you remember what happened the last time we babysat?"

"I would think you learned your lesson and won't do that again." That adventure had involved too much beer and enough water to cause a small flood in the kitchen. Fortunately, the kids were asleep, but that had not appeased her much. "I really do wish you'd take her over to Dad's, or let one of us do it."

"We're fine, Alex."

She sighed. "All right. I'll call before I leave and bring something home for dinner."

"Ok."

"Try to rest, but keep an eye on her, for Pete's sake."

"I'm trying. I really am."

"I know you don't feel good. Would you consider going down the hall and asking Mrs. Carson to at least make you guys lunch...or maybe watch Maggie for a few hours while you sleep?"

"No. Mason still trembles when he hears her coming."

Mason was their neighbor's little Pekingese. Maggie was a little too rambunctious for the small dog's nerves. "I forgot about Mason...poor thing."

"We're okay, Alex. Don't worry."

"All right. If you're sure."

"I'll talk to you later."

"Take that medicine, Bobby."

"I will. Love you."

"Love you, too. Bye."

He hung up the phone and went into the living room to help Maggie pick up the movies. When they were done, he leaned back on his heels. "Okay, mouse. What do you want for lunch?"

"Grill cheese!"

"Of course..." She wouldn't want peanut butter and jelly... "Okay. Grilled cheese, it is."

He went into the kitchen and popped two ibuprofen in his mouth before he got out the bread, cheese and butter. The phone rang again. "Hello?"

"Hi, Bobby. How are you faring with Miss Maggie?"

Goren laughed. "We're fine, John."

"Alex said you were sick. You should have come over here with the kids."

"We're okay."

"Just call if you need me and Tommy and I will come right over."

"Did Alex call you?"

"No. Should she have?"

"I don't know. She's worried."

"She has always worried about you, son."

"I know. But I'm fine, really." Okay, that was a slight exaggeration...well, maybe more than slight...

"Well, just give me a call if you change your mind."

"I will. Tommy's ok, isn't he?"

"He's fine. Happy as a clam. And I though Maggie was a happy baby."

Goren smiled. "He's a good boy."

"Maybe you should have kept him home and sent Maggie over here."

"I'd never have gotten away with that."

John laughed. "I hope you feel better."

"Thanks. And thanks for calling."

He hung up the phone and finished the sandwich, setting it on the table with a cup of milk for her. "Lunch is ready, mouse."

She came trotting over to the table. "I found Elmo."

She handed him a DVD. "Eat your lunch and then we'll watch it."

He set her in her booster seat and sat down at the table with her, waiting for her to finish and trying not to dwell on how badly he felt. She looked at him. "You gonna eat, Daddy?"

"Not right now, honey." His stomach lurched threateningly at the thought of food.

"But you gotta eat."

"Later. I'll eat later."

She sighed, and again, he heard her mother in the sound. He couldn't help but smile. Once she was done eating, after repeatedly offering him a bite of her sandwich, he set her plate and cup in the sink and lifted her out of her seat. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you, Daddy."

He kissed her cheek. "I love you, too, little mouse."

Setting her on the couch, he put her movie in for her. Laying down on the couch, he set her on top of his abdomen, certain he would know if she got down, even if he drifted off. Halfway through the movie, she crawled up onto his chest. Gently she rested a hand on his cheek. "You are _hot_, Daddy."

He smiled and wrapped his arm around her. "I'm all right."

She slid off him and ran down the hall. "Where are you going?"

He rolled off the couch, hesitating when the room tilted and his stomach lurched. He heard running water, then Maggie came trotting back down the hall, water dripping from a facecloth in her hands. He got back onto the couch and she climbed up next to him. She pushed his head back and dropped a cold, sopping wet facecloth onto his forehead and across his eyes. He gasped, unable to stop the tremor that coursed through his body. He moved the facecloth off his eyes as water ran down his face, soaking his shirt. "How'd you know to do that, mouse?"

"Mommy put one on me when I was sick, and I felt better."

He nodded. Well, hers hadn't been ice cold, or dripping wet, but she had the right idea. He kissed her head. "Thanks, baby."

"You feel better?"

He smiled. "Yes, I feel better."

She smiled back at him. That smile always melted his heart. He laid back with his head against the armrest and his daughter sitting on his abdomen. On the screen, Elmo was in Grouchland. In short order, on the couch, Goren was asleep.

A little hand touched his face and he opened his eyes. He closed them quickly and groaned. Ok, he was never going to do this again. Next time he was sick, he was fucking going to work! He forced his eyes open again. She was white. From her curly hair right down to her sneakers, she was pure white. And wet. He took a deep breath. "What did you do?"

"You din' eat, Daddy. I was making you somethin'."

"Did you turn the stove on?"

"No. I'm not allowed to do that."

"Good girl. So what were you doing?"

"I put flour and water and honey and..."

He laid a hand over her mouth. "Shhh. I get the idea. Why didn't you just sit here with me, Maggie?"

"Because you needa _eat_, Daddy!"

He should have taken a damn bite of her sandwich. There was a knock on the door. _Shit_. He got off the couch and half-stumbled to the door, pulling it open. It was Logan. "Alex was right. You do look like shit."

"Did she send you over here?"

"Nope. I came on my own when you didn't answer your phone."

"Did you call on the landline? Maggie answers that quite well."

"No. On your cell."

"It's in the damn bedroom, Mike."

"Well, I didn't want to worry Alex, so I stopped by on my own."

"Where's your partner?"

"Doing paperwork. I'm on a coffee run."

"This is a little out of your way."

"Like I said..."

By this time Maggie had recognized his voice and yelled, "Uncle Mike!"

She came charging around her father and Logan started laughing. "What happened to you, little bunny? You're a white rabbit!"

She giggled and Logan looked at Goren, who stepped back from the door, shaking his head, to let Logan in. Logan looked around. "Well, other than the white rabbit prints all over the place, it's not too bad."

"I haven't been in the kitchen yet. Hold that thought."

Logan followed him to the doorway of the kitchen and doubled over, laughing. Goren just groaned. "Maggie..." He looked down at her little white face and wet, curly, white hair...God, it was going to be like glue.

"Let me guess," Logan began. "You fell asleep."

"Go to..." he stopped himself again. "Someplace very hot."

Logan slipped off his jacket and draped it over a chair. "You go clean up Little Miss Mess there, and I'll start on the kitchen. Alex will kill you if she sees this."

"No shit," he grumbled.

Maggie looked up at him and happily repeated, "No shit!"

Goren groaned. "No, no...don't say that."

"Is that a Daddy word?"

"Yes, baby. That's a Daddy word."

"Oh, okay."

He picked her up to keep her from tracking flour and whatever else she had decorated the kitchen with all over the apartment. "You are _still_ hot, Daddy."

"That will be the least of my worries when your mother gets home. Let's get you cleaned up."

It took him a full half hour to get all the honey and flour out of her hair. By the time he was done, he was light-headed and about ready to puke. He toweled her dry and carried her to her room, dressing her as quickly as he could. Then he carried her to the living room, shaking his head at the little white footprints that seemed to pepper the carpet. He sighed. Setting her on the couch, he leaned over, catching himself before he stumbled. "Listen to me, Maggie. Sit here and watch TV. Ok? Don't get up. I'm going to help Uncle Mike...fix the dinner you started, and I want you to stay clean. Understand?"

"Yes, Daddy. I'll stay onna couch."

"Good girl."

He kissed her forehead, flipped to a cartoon channel and went into the kitchen. Logan had taken his tie off and rolled up his sleeves. "How long were you sleeping?"

"I have no idea. I tried to stay awake."

Logan rinsed off a hand and touched Goren's forehead. "No wonder you passed out. You have that fever all day?"

"Mostly."

"And you kept Maggie here with you why?"

"Because I have no damn sense."

"She must have had a blast in here."

"She was worried because I haven't eaten."

"Why haven't you eaten?"

"Because I don't think I could keep anything down."

"You do look a little green around the gills."

Goren just shook his head. He took a mixing bowl from the counter and looked into the concoction his little daughter had made. "Flour, honey, water, butter, oh...chocolate chips..." He pulled something out with two fingers and looked at Logan. "And a carrot."

Logan couldn't help laughing. "I'm sorry, man. This is..." He dropped his voice so Maggie wouldn't overhear. "It's fuckin' funny!"

Looking at the flour-covered floor and counters, the sticky white handprints all over the kitchen and the little footprints that trailed out into the living room, he shook his head. "No, it's not. Do you have _any_ idea what Alex is going to do to me?"

"Oh, I have some idea. But I like hanging out with you too much, man. So let's get this shit cleaned up before your wife gets home and blows a friggin' gasket."

It took the better part of an hour and a half, and more than one ignored phone call, to get everything cleaned up. Goren threw all their clothes into the washer in the hall closet while Logan vacuumed and then changed into a clean suit. "Think they'll notice I've changed."

"They're detectives, Logan."

"Yeah, but this is me. No one pays attention to me." His phone rang again. "Unless I'm late with the coffee." He took out the phone. "Logan."

"Where the hell are you?"

"Don't tell me you miss me?"

"Logan...just get your sorry ass back here now. You are finishing the rest of this damn paperwork if I have to stand over you with a baseball bat."

"Yeah, yeah, promises, promises... I'll be there shortly."

"That coffee better still be hot."

"No fears, princess."

"_That_ is going to get you smacked."

"I figured. Bye." He grinned at Goren, who fell back against the wall. "Hey, you really look rough, man. Why don't you let me take Maggie with me?"

"And how would you explain that one?"

"I'll think of something."

"There is not a single thing that comes to mind that you could say that would not get my ass kicked all over the island, Mike. Forget it. Just go back to the squad, and thanks for all the help. I appreciate it."

"Yeah, well, Maggie wouldn't do well at all without her daddy. We've been through that already." He gently hit Goren's shoulder. "Lay down."

He went over to the couch and squatted in front of Maggie. "Hey, bunny...do me a favor?"

"Sure, Uncle Mike."

"I need you to just sit here on the couch and keep Daddy company until Mommy gets home. Mommy will make sure Daddy gets something to eat and all. You just need to take care of him by sitting here with him. Think you can do that?"

"Sure!"

Goren shook his head. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Fever baked your brain?"

"Get out of here."

Logan laughed. "See you later. Bye, sweetheart."

"Bye, Uncle Mike!"

Goren collapsed onto the couch, sick and exhausted. Maggie cuddled up to him. "Is that better, Daddy?"

"Much better."

He pulled her into his arms and leaned back into the corner of the couch.

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The apartment door opened and Maggie jumped off the couch, jerking Goren from his sleep. "Hi, Mommy!"

Eames gave the little girl a hug and a kiss and set the baby on the floor. He immediately began crawling toward the toybox after his sister. She set the bag of chinese takeout on the coffee table and sat beside her husband, placing a hand on his hot forehead. "You look worse than you did this morning."

"I feel like...you don't even want to know what I feel like, Alex."

"What did you have to eat?"

He shook his head. "I have no stomach for food."

"Did you at least drink?"

"A little."

"Well, you and Maggie are both in one piece and the place is still intact. So you didn't do too bad for being so sick."

Maggie bounced over to her. "I took care-a Daddy!"

"You did a great job, honey."

"But he wouldn' eat."

"That's ok. I'll fix him something he can eat."

She started to turn back to the toybox, but then she said, "And I learned a new Daddy word not to say!"

Goren groaned. Eames looked at him. "Oh? What word was that?"

"'No shit!' He said it to Uncle Mike."

"Uncle Mike was here?"

"Uh, huh...after I tried to make Daddy dinner, before my bath."

Eames looked at Goren, who had covered his face with his hands and rested his elbows on his knees. "Thanks, Maggie."

"What went on here today?"

"Nothing you need to worry about."

"Bobby..."

"She's fine, Alex...and I really feel bad. I've gotta lay down."

She studied him, leaning closer. "You are going to tell me what happened here today, Goren," she said softly.

He kissed her and got up from the couch. He had no doubt she'd get it out of him one way or another, but he was damn sure going to make it worth his while. After the day he'd had, it was the least he deserved.


End file.
